Corrosion performance of aluminium in atmospheric, underground and seawater splatter zone in the northeastern coast of Arabian Peninsula

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the atmospheric corrosion behavior of aluminium (Al) exposed to the industrial and coastal environments of northeastern Arabian Peninsula for a period of 15 months. Design/methodology/approach: The samples were exposed under atmospheric, underground and splatter zone conditions at the coastal region. Soil, groundwater, seawater and air particulate samples obtained from the exposure site were analyzed. Secondary electron microscopy was used to identify and study the microstructural features of the corrosion products formed at the surface of the test coupons. The corrosion rates of the samples were determined by the weight loss method. Findings: The results showed that Al exhibited a moderate corrosion rate despite high degree of variation in temperature and humidity and large concentrations of chloride and sulfate in this region. Splatter zone environment was the most corrosive because of high chloride concentrations in seawater and the alternating wetting-drying cycles. Originality/value: In this paper, corrosion of Al was evaluated in atmospheric, soil and splatter zone conditions along the northeastern coast of Arabian Peninsula and was also compared with the results of the test reported for other international locations.